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| Fisherman's Wharf, Sunday afternoon about 2pm |
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Scenes from a bike ride
Scenes from a Saturday morning bike ride. 75 degrees here today with a light breeze. Perfect!
Inland is predicted to be very hot, so we'll probably have lots of tourists today.
Inland is predicted to be very hot, so we'll probably have lots of tourists today.
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| From Lover's Point in Pacific Grove |
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| Asilomar Beach in Pacific Grove |
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| From 17-Mile Drive |
Here's the route.
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Friday, June 28, 2013
Why are the streets so clean?
The street sweeper just went by, as usual on a Friday morning. Every Friday, like clockwork. I used to think this was odd. Not that they clean the streets, but that it is done so frequently. I thought with most cities struggling with reduced budgets, they're always looking for something to cut, and street sweeping seemed a likely candidate. But I found out that because the storm drains flow directly into the Bay, they're concerned about debris getting washed into the drains, polluting the Bay and endangering the marine life. So there you have it.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
A trip to the supermarket
What's it like to live in Monterey? Well here's what my weekly shopping trip to Safeway in Carmel looks like.
The drive to Safeway in Carmel via Highway 1
from Soledad & Munras (near Del Monte Shopping Center) in Monterey
If video does not appear, click here.
Easy peasy The only downside is that this is the only way in (without going about 10 miles out of the way). If traffic on Highway 1 is backed up--it happens--there's really no alternative.
Heat wave
It's another scorcher today. 73 degrees. By Monterey standards, that's pretty hot. Yesterday's high was 72--that's 6 degrees above average. Like I said...heat wave.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday Market
A warm sunny day really brings out a crowd for the Tuesday Farmer's Market in downtown Monterey. I haven't been since last summer, so I stopped by. A few changes in the vendor lineup, and surprisingly--no Babaloo truck. Come to think of it, I haven't seen them for a while, and the website doesn't seem to be available (their Facebook page is still there though). I hope they haven't left the area.
As usual, the longest lines were at the India Gourmet, and rightly so. They're always offering free samples of several different curries. When the older gentleman is there giving out samples, you won't be able to resist. Literally, he won't let you. But he's a hoot and it's all in fun. Try everything...they're all good.
Other than street food, there's the usual assortment of crafts, jewelry, musicians playing for tips, take-home foods like jams and sauces, and of course, the produce stands. If you go to the farmer's market for cheap prices, think again. Most of what you see here is more expensive than at the supermarket. If you want beautiful and fresh, this is the place. Gorgeous trays of brilliantly colored fruits and vegetables. There must be some sort of agreement about prices though, because every stand charges the same price for produce. If you see something you want, just get it, you won't find it for less down the street.
The market runs every Tuesday from 4-7 (4-8 in summer).
As usual, the longest lines were at the India Gourmet, and rightly so. They're always offering free samples of several different curries. When the older gentleman is there giving out samples, you won't be able to resist. Literally, he won't let you. But he's a hoot and it's all in fun. Try everything...they're all good.
Other than street food, there's the usual assortment of crafts, jewelry, musicians playing for tips, take-home foods like jams and sauces, and of course, the produce stands. If you go to the farmer's market for cheap prices, think again. Most of what you see here is more expensive than at the supermarket. If you want beautiful and fresh, this is the place. Gorgeous trays of brilliantly colored fruits and vegetables. There must be some sort of agreement about prices though, because every stand charges the same price for produce. If you see something you want, just get it, you won't find it for less down the street.
The market runs every Tuesday from 4-7 (4-8 in summer).
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Getting the most out of your dishwasher
Unloading the dishwasher just now reminded me that it's time to do a vinegar rinse to get rid of the mineral buildup. The water is very hard here and the minerals that settle out of the water stain everything. I'm meticulous about the granite countertops--constantly wiping them to make sure there's no sitting water drops. If I let water sit, pretty soon I've got a dull, crusty stain that's almost impossible to get rid of short of literally scraping it off with a razor blade.
In addition to the hard water, there's another issue for automatic dishwashers. When we moved in, we bought a new dishwasher. The first couple of times I ran it, the dishes came out filmy and not that clean. I discovered there are two problems: the hardness of the water, plus the fact that California has banned phosphates from detergents. I suppose it's better for the environment and our health to eliminate that stuff, but it did work.
Over time, I've discovered a few tricks to get the best possible performance out of the dishwasher...
In addition to the hard water, there's another issue for automatic dishwashers. When we moved in, we bought a new dishwasher. The first couple of times I ran it, the dishes came out filmy and not that clean. I discovered there are two problems: the hardness of the water, plus the fact that California has banned phosphates from detergents. I suppose it's better for the environment and our health to eliminate that stuff, but it did work.
Over time, I've discovered a few tricks to get the best possible performance out of the dishwasher...
BevMo! comes to Carmel!
There's a new BevMo! store in Carmel. Yippee Skipee!
Before, the nearest BevMo! was in Gilroy (40 minutes away) which meant it wasn't worth the trip unless you're going to Gilroy for something else anyway, even though the prices are better. Safeway has a small selection of liquors, and if you watch for sales you can get reasonable prices. Trader Joe's also sells liquor, but have a very limited selection (best price on Campari though--$18.99 last time I bought it). For anything more unusual or premium liquors, look elsewhere. There are some liquor stores in the area, but I've found their prices to be more than a bit higher than expected. It's going to be hard for them now, to compete with a big player like BevMo!
Still, I like when we get new stores.
Before, the nearest BevMo! was in Gilroy (40 minutes away) which meant it wasn't worth the trip unless you're going to Gilroy for something else anyway, even though the prices are better. Safeway has a small selection of liquors, and if you watch for sales you can get reasonable prices. Trader Joe's also sells liquor, but have a very limited selection (best price on Campari though--$18.99 last time I bought it). For anything more unusual or premium liquors, look elsewhere. There are some liquor stores in the area, but I've found their prices to be more than a bit higher than expected. It's going to be hard for them now, to compete with a big player like BevMo!
Still, I like when we get new stores.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Monterey Regional Airport
One of the many advantages of living in Monterey is being able to use the ultra-convenient Monterey Regional Airport (www.montereyairport.com). Its small size means you can get in and out quickly, but it's big enough to have a decent selection of flights, various dining options, taxi service, and most of the major rental car companies.
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